


More Than a Team

by ChoiceScarfGarchomp



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Domestic, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, also theyre both autistic, i told myself it was just gonna be friends to lovers without mutual pining but here we are, mlm/wlw solidarity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-17 09:54:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16972401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChoiceScarfGarchomp/pseuds/ChoiceScarfGarchomp
Summary: Aubrey needed a break from all the nonsense she saves the world from, but quickly realizes the world gets boring when you're not saving it. She needs to get her personal life back on track, and she knows just who to go to.Jake gets to know a hero on a new level.





	1. Chapter 1

Aubrey Little faces many challenges in her life. For example, she fights horrific monsters that try to slaughter her and everyone else on a monthly basis. But what keeps her alive and successful when facing these challenges has always been the fact that she doesn't face them alone. On this day that she faced a more brutal obstacle than ever - boredom. She realized that she'll have to tackle this problem the way she always does.

And who better do vanquish the evils of boredom with than her neighbor, Jake Cool-Ice. Aubrey doesn't think she's ever seen Jake not having the time of his life, even as he's just living his ordinary life. She needed what Jake had, and of course it's just like her to approach it directly.

She knocked on the door to Jake's room, just behind which she heard electronic music thumping away. It didn't seem horribly loud as to drown out any other noise, leaving her confused as to why no response came yet. She knocked again. She heard an abrupt shuffling and falling of objects, and the music quieted as she heard Jake approach the door.

She was almost, but not quite, shocked to see that she had actually overheard the music from headphones that Jake had on. Jake didn't mess around with his jams. His face seemed to light up as he saw Aubrey outside his door. “Aw yeah, you're much more worth falling out of bed for! I thought it was just Dani trying to get me to try her soup again. And I'm sure her soup is just fine, but I'm not a soup guy. I prefer food that feels like food, you dig?”

Aubrey knew right away she did the right thing. Never a dull moment in Jake's world. “Finally! I'm sick of tolerating soup to support Ned and Duck's dinner dates.” Aubrey casually made her way through the door to sit across the armchair in the room.

“Oh I feel you, dog. Anything to get those two together, but man could they do better than french onion soup. But why are you here? Like, I'm not rude. Just, what are you up to?”

Aubrey thought for a second. She took no offense from Jake's question whatsoever, but she didn't quite know how to phrase her actual reasoning to Jake. Before she had any further thought, she was saying, “Well, I came here for you, Jake.”

“Oh, rad! Good thing I'm here, then.” Jake was immediately enthused that this badass Pine Guard had come to him.

Aubrey still wasn't thinking. She was smooth, and now she was helplessly sliding down that smooth slope. “Yeah, I just always feel better having you around. I love Ned and Duck, but whenever we're spending time together it's because the world is ending. They're my best friends, nothing's gonna change that, but a girl needs more than a team.”

_ More than a team. _ This stuck with Jake. He had always thought of Aubrey as a member of the Pine Guard, but here she was, hanging out in his room,  as another person. Just like him, she just wanted to hang out with some cool people. Wheels started turning in Jake's head. He was gonna make sure she knew she came to the right cool person. “Well Aubrey, you've got so much more than a team all around you. Let me show you what I mean.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The part with the kitchen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> somewhat real chapter this time, turns out i write better when im not using my phone in bed at midnight

Jake and Aubrey had been flying around Amnesty Lodge in the last week or so. They had spent time with everyone around the Lodge (except for Agent Stern) until there was no resident left unharassed. The two of them spun around to Minerva, Dani, even Mama in pursuit of building connections.

On this day, they ended up in the kitchen with Barclay, jumping around him as the two of them prepared some simple baked goods. Barclay didn’t show it, but he was glad to have the company with him. As long as they didn’t screw up his kitchen, but how bad can these two be? They are both adults, after all.

Aubrey nudged Barclay with her elbow, probably too hard, as he was putting together a proper dinner for the lodge at the moment. “Want any pot brownies, old man?”

Jake spoke up with exaggerated haughtiness, “I don't appreciate you giving up our secrets to Officer Bigfoot over here.”

“As if the new girl in town knows how to get weed in Kepler,” Barclay delivered flatly. Jake hollered at Aubrey like a fifth grader and dabbed on her, spreading flour all over his head and his surroundings. Barclay radiated disappointment.

“Besides, I could never taint these brownies,” Aubrey said endearingly. “It's been too long since I've made any real food myself. Thank you so much for this, Jake.”

“Don't thank me yet. I bet these brownies are gonna turn out fucked. I can tear up a slope - or a dance floor - but not so much a kitchen.”

“That's why you got me, and Barclay. Nobody can do shit on their own. Only makes sense that we bake for each other, or whatever we need.” Aubrey's words stuck to Jake's heart right away.

She continued, “Even Duck and Ned and I gotta. Ned and I can't take a hit, so Duck steps up for us. Ned is the only one of us that can actually talk like a human being to other people. And I get my time to shine as a super powerful wizard, ‘cause they don't have anything cool like that.” Now Barclay took to Aubrey's words, resting his hands as he thought of his own team. But what she said didn't have the effect on Jake that she intended.

_ Maybe she really only does need her team, _ he thought to himself. He turned back to the bowl Aubrey passed him, focusing on stirring the batter which he couldn't deny did smell pretty dank. Couldn't stay upset with brownies right in front of him, after all. He almost jumped when a spoon was suddenly stuck in front of him, right into the batter. “Now this is a soup I can get behind,” Aubrey said as she returned the spoon to her mouth.

“You'll get salmonella, Aubrey,” Barclay halfheartedly chastised her.

“I got mauled by a bird the size of a minivan less than a month ago, Barclay,” she nonchalantly mentioned. “Here for a good time, not a long time.”

“As if some little egg can kill me. I can slam a tree at thirty miles an hour, an egg can't handle the side of a bowl. This fight is so one sided, it's pathetic,” Jake piped up as he grabbed a spoon of his own, and he and Aubrey huddled around the bowl they had prepared together. As soon as he tasted it, he was absolutely blown away. His face lit up as he forgot any worries he had about Aubrey a minute ago.

Aubrey looked over to her friend and saw a mess of a man, messy hair with fading dye, covered in flour, and with the most pure and precious smile she had seen on anyone in a long time. And so up close, too.  _ Oh no. _ She didn’t always do so well so up close to a pretty face. But this was Jake Cool-Ice, she reminded herself. Just a guy who lives down the hall, lives for sports, is the coolest dude around, looks great -- her thoughts were uncharacteristically interrupted by a surprised cry from Barclay behind her. She noticed the fish fry had abruptly become a flambé, most likely her fault. She’d think about what this meant later.

* * *

 

She and Jake loaded the brownies into the oven and went to relax in the lobby, the soft sound of Minerva at the piano keeping the atmosphere loose. “Kind of a bummer about the dinner. I do love a good fish fry,” Jake said.

“What, no credit to the powerful fire sorceress in the room where it happened?’

“Well then, thanks for torching our dinner, Lady Flame,” Jake teased.

“Please, it’s all just a plot to make sure we all just eat brownies for dinner. You underestimate my genius, you big jock,” Aubrey deflected.

“Well, it’s radical that you’re not an evil genius, then. Just imagine if you were to turn your clearly immense power to the dark side.”

“Now it sounds like you want to play the hero against me, Jake. But it’s no hope. I am the brownie empress, and long may I reign!”

And Jake succumbed to laughter again, flashing that smile. Now it was time to think about that, Aubrey realized. She knew it really was her fault the fish combusted, and she knew it was Jake pushing her to it. But Jake wasn’t pushing her, she was just pulling herself along. She was just a hero to him, right? And she was just here with him for a break. It’s not time to make a change in her life like this, people like Jake need her to focus on protecting them.

* * *

 

Jake was gonna have to tell her eventually. It’s just, she’s a hero! She can’t slow down and play favorites. And depending on someone for your life can’t be the most healthy relationship dynamic possible.

Aubrey was worried in the same way. But, she deserves a normal personal life, right? But Jake feels too close to her hero life for that to be appropriate. 

Jake, however, had never felt so far from someone just across the hall.


End file.
